The present invention relates to digital communication devices and digital communication methods.
The number of devices utilizing digital technology has been rapidly increasing as the speed of processors has increased, digital storage (i.e., memory) capacities have increased, etc. Distinct and dissimilar devices are now being configured to share digital data utilizing digital communications. Such flourishing of digital technology has lead to the development of communication protocols offering enhanced communications of digital information.
Communication protocols have been introduced to efficiently transfer digital information in a quick, simple, and accurate manner. One exemplary communication protocol is JetSend(trademark) which intelligently negotiates the best possible communication route and format of communicated data to effect communications between connected devices. Such is accomplished over a connection such as a network or infrared communication medium, for example. JetSend(trademark) communication protocol utilizes a JetSend(trademark) enabled device to capture documents and to send them to another JetSend(trademark) enabled device. An exemplary sending device may be an HP digital sender and a receiving device may be, for example, an HP Color LaserJet(trademark) Printer. Further details of the JetSend(trademark) communications protocol are described at www.jetend.hp.com, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. Devices currently using JetSend(trademark) communications include personal computers (PCs), laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, printers, facsimile devices, etc.
An exemplary compact communication device called the Amber reference kit is available from Avnet Electronics. This small communication device implements communications using infrared (IR) communications. Such communicates digital data in a raw PCL format via an IR interface. While offering benefits of portability and compact size, the communication device is limited to PCL communications.
The present invention relates to digital communication devices and digital communication methods.
In one aspect of the invention, a digital communication device comprises: storage circuitry; communication circuitry coupled with the storage circuitry and configured to communicate digital data and a plurality of digital formats externally of the digital communication device; and processing circuitry coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to operate in a receive mode and a send mode, wherein in the receive mode the processing circuitry is configured to select one of the data formats and in the send mode the processing circuitry is configured to send data formats which correspond to digital data stored within the storage circuitry.
In another aspect of the invention, a digital communication device comprises: storage circuitry; communication circuitry coupled with the storage circuitry and configured to communicate digital data and a plurality of digital formats externally of the digital communication device in accordance with the JetSend(trademark) communication protocol; and processing circuitry coupled with the communication circuitry and configured to operate in a receive mode and a send mode, wherein in the receive mode the processing circuitry is configured to select one of the data formats and in the send mode the processing circuitry is configured to send data formats which correspond to digital data stored within the storage circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to initially operate in the receive mode to listen for reception of communication data using the communication circuitry, and to operate in the send mode responsive to a failure to receive communication data during the operation in the receive mode, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to store digital data received via the communication circuitry within the storage circuitry during operation in the receive mode and to apply digital data from the storage circuitry to the communication circuitry during operation in the send mode.
Another aspect of the invention provides a digital communication method comprising: providing a communication device configured to communicate digital data externally of the communication device; operating the communication device in a receive mode including: receiving a plurality of data formats; selecting one of the data formats; receiving digital data within the selected one of the data formats; and storing the digital data; and operating the communication device in a send mode including: outputting a plurality of data formats which correspond to the stored digital data; and outputting the stored digital data.